Art of assembling wheels.



J. WEBER, R.

PATENTED MAY ZS 1907.

ART 0P ASSEMBLING WHEELSP APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 190 6.

Inventor rm: unmus parses cm, \yAsnmcrcu: n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WEBER, JR, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGN'OR TO THE TOLEDO METAL WHEEL COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ART OF ASSEMBL'ING WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1907.

Application filed May 12,1906. Serial No. 316,447.

'wheel making, wherein it possesses exce tional advantages in the manufacture of t e lighter varieties.

Referring to the drawings for an illustration setting forth an embodiment of the in vention: Figure 1 is a perspective View in section of a wheel showing a stage in assembling, and Fig. 2 is a similar view at a later stage.

The member or hub 1 has a longitudinal recess 2 and a plurality of transverse recesses or spoke guiding apertures 3 extending laterally of the recess or bore 2 or radially of the wheel. In this instance the transverse recesses 3 are shown radial. In the recesses 3 are placed elements or spokes 4 beyond their normal posit-ion, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. A second endless channel-shaped member or rim 5 is placed in any angular relation in the same plane as the hub 1 and approximately concentric thereto. By moving or forcing the spokes 4 from the full line position of Fig. 1 to the dotted line position, the rim or tire 5 is centered and automatically trued. This longitudinal moving is an equal projection of the spokes; that is, equal as to limit of movement against continuous seating surfaces of the rim, although it is not absolutely essential to the invention that the spokes all move the same distance, for their insertion to project exteriorly and interiorly of the hub need not be exactly uniform.

The spokes are locked and held in position by the assembly-locking means or sleeve 6. To accomplish the assembling, a drift to0l 7, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, may be con veniently used. Upon the tool 7 is placed the sleeve 6 against a shoulder near the tapering head 8 of the tool, which head is of the same diameter as the recess 2 in the member 1. In driving the tool 7 through the recess 2,

the spokes 4 are moved or projected into a non-adjustable position as to the hub 1 to the limit of their penetration against the continuous concave inner surface of the crescent rim 5 to firmly engage the rim. The sleeve 6 following the head 8 of the tool 7, is introduced or left in the recess 2 of the hub 1, thereby locking the spokes in normal position. The sleeve 6 is a permanent member, concentricwith the hub member, not only securing the spokes against reverse movement, but looking them into permanent seating relation against the rim member. The

tool 7 is driven on through the hub 1 and out of the sleeve 6.

The art of assembling herein described affords a rapid and labor-saving improvement in wheel building.

The showing and description herewith are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to any greater extent than the ordinary meaning of the terms of the claims demand. In other words, the elements of the claims are to be inter reted broadly, giving me the advantage 0 equivalents in the protection of my idea.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. That improvement in the art of assembling wheels which comprises the following combination of steps: the provision of a hub member and a continuous rim member, one of which shall have spoke guiding passages and the other seating surfaces limiting the longitudinal movement of the spokes and a series of spokes of equal length, and the ar iangement of said spokes to project through said passages, and the arrangement of the hub and rim members in an approximately concentric relation but one of t em free with relation to the other and the spokes, and the simultaneous and equal projection of the spokes longitudinally toward the other member into permanent seating relation and securing said spokes so seated against reverse movement by applying a permanent concentric member.

2. That improvement in the art of assembling wheels which comprises the following combination of steps: the provision of a hub having spoke guiding passages and a continu ous rim having seating surfaces limiting the longitudinal movement of the spokes and having directing walls to guide the spokes to said surfaces and a series of spokes of uniform length, and the arrangement of said spokes to project through said passages, and the arrangement of the hub and rim in an approximately concentric relation but the rim free from the hub and the spokes, and the simultaneous and equal projection of the spokes longitudinally toward the rim to be guided thereby into permanent seating relation and securing said spokes so seated against reverse movement by applying a permanent concentric member.

3. That improvement in the art of assembling wheels which comprises the following combination of steps: the provision of a hub member and a continuous rim member, one of which shall have spoke guiding. passages and the other continuous seating surfaces limiting the longitudinal movementof the spokes and a series of spokes of uniform length, and the arrangement of said s okes to project through said passages; and t e arrangement of the hub and membersin approximately concentric relationih a. lane, but in any angular'relation withfone'o th'm free with relation to the other and the-spokes, and the simultaneous and equal projection of the s okes'longi'tudinally toward the. other mem er into permanent seating relation and, securing said spokes against reverse movement by applying a permanent concentfc member. i i i 4. That improvement in the art of assem bling Wheels which comprises the following combination of steps: the provision of a hub having spoke guiding passages, a rim having a plurality of flanges. with adjacent seating surfaces limiting the longitudinal movement of the spokes and a series of spokes ofequal length, and the arrangement of said sp )kes to project through said passages, and the arrangement of the hub and rim in an approximately concentric relation but them free from the hub and the spokes, and the siniultaneous and equal projection of the spokes longitudinally toward the rim to be guided by the flanges into permanent seating relation and securing said spokes so seated against reverse movement by applying a per manent concentric member.

5. That improvement in the art of assembling Wheels Which comprises the following combination of ste s: the provision of a hub having spoke gui( ing assages, a series of spokes of uniform lengtli, a rim having spoke seats, spoke actuating means and it spoke locking follower, and the arrangement of the spokes in the passages of the hub, the arrangement of the rim and hub in an approximatelyconcentric relation but the rim free from the hub and the spokes, the arrangement of the follower on the spoke actuating means, the arrangement of the means to actuate the spokes longitudinally into the seats cf the rim and leave the follower to retain the spokes in permanent locking position.

6. That improvement in the art of assembling wheels which comprises the following combination of steps: the provision of a hub member and a continuous rim member, one

of which shall have spoke guiding passages .and the other seating surfaces limiting the longitudinal movement of the spokes and a i series of spokes of equal length, and the arrangement of said spokes to project through said passages, the arrangement of the hub and mm members in an approximately concentric relation but one of them free with relation to the other and the spokes, and the simultaneous and uniform projection and locking of the spokes into permanent seating relation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

, JOHN WEBER, Jn. Witnesses: f I JAY BENSON,

GEo, E. KIRK. 

